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Laptops from Ebuyer.com

Whether you are looking for a laptop for work, study or leisure Ebuyer has the machine for you. We have a huge choice of cheap laptops direct from leading manufacturers such as Asus, Dell, HP and Apple and all are available at low prices every day here at Ebuyer.com.

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Laptops vary greatly in performance and cost, so the first thing to consider is exactly what you will be using the device for. If you are simply looking for an everyday machine to surf the internet, send email and do some word processing, your requirements will be vastly different to a professional designer or hardcore gamer who needs the latest and fastest model.

Finding your laptop

If you are looking for a reliable machine for everyday computing and are conscious of your budget Asus and Acer produce some excellent laptops at incredibly low prices. Or you may consider an inexpensive alternative to the usual Windows machines by choosing a Chromebook or Ubuntu laptop. These budget laptops represent exceptional value for money whilst still having plenty of power for routine tasks.

However, if you are purchasing a laptop for the whole family to enjoy, you should consider a mid-range machine. Laptops from manufacturers such as HP and Toshiba are ideally suited for surfing the web, photo editing, streaming movies and low-level gaming.

Business users looking for a high specification, portable and ultra-secure machine should consider Dell laptops. A brand that is synonymous with producing devices specifically aimed at the business user.

Designers, photographers and creative professionals will naturally gravitate towards Apple and Ebuyer.com have a full range of MacBooks from which to choose.

But, if you are a dedicated PC gamer, than only the fastest machine will do and Ebuyer.com have a range of powerful gaming laptops from Asus and PC Specialist.

Understanding laptop specifications

Even when you are clear about why your need a laptop computer and exactly what you will be using it for, you are still faced with what can be seen as a bewildering array of options. We have a guide to the different specifications available below, which should help you zero in on the best laptop for you.

Comparing laptop types

A notebook is a more portable version of a laptop, but the small screen size isn't ideal for family use or for extended periods of working.

Convertible laptops are tablets that can be converted into a standard laptop with the addition of a keyboard. These machines are becoming more popular, but their low processing power isn't suitable for demanding tasks.

An ultrabook is a very high-specification laptop suitable for those who need a top-of-the-range processor for multitasking and power-hungry programs.

What is a processor?

The processor, or CPU, determines how fast the machine can process data and perform tasks. AMD and Intel make processors of different speeds. Basically, the more powerful the processor, the faster the computer.

What is computer memory?

Memory refers to the machine's capacity for storing programs and information. More gigabytes (GB) means more data can be stored. A laptop with insufficient memory will run slowly or even freeze.

What laptop display do I need?

A larger screen is generally easier to work with, though it does compromise portability. If gaming or streaming movies will be your main activity, consider a full-HD display to make the most of your multimedia.

What is an optical drive?

Most optical drives allow you to read and write data on a CD-ROM or DVD. Many laptops have one built in, but they are often omitted to reduce weight. If a DVD drive is important to you, carefully check the specifications of the machine you are considering before making a purchase.

Great laptop deals daily at Ebuyer.com

Whether you are looking for a cheap laptop, top-of-the-range ultrabook or something in-between, Ebuyer.com has a huge selection available at fantastically low prices.

We ship all our laptops direct from our East Yorkshire warehouse and we can deliver the next day if you order before 11pm (terms and conditions apply).

And don't forget, if you buy a machine over £299.95, you can ease the burden on your bank account by using our convenient financing service (terms and conditions apply). Order online today.

Why buy a laptop?

With so many options for portable computing why would you buy a new laptop? Wouldn’t you be better off with a shiny new tablet PC or even a smartphone? Well, it depends what you want to use the machine for. For prolonged, serious use, whether that be work, study or play, you will need a laptop computer.

Laptops have fixed keyboards, bigger screens and more power. In short they are easier to work on than other portable devices. And, with today’s incredibly lightweight designs, they are easy to carry around with you. Which is of course why so many users are turning away from desktop PCs. They take up so much space.

So, if you want a space saving machine that you can use for the basic tasks of internet browsing, email and watching videos as well as running more complex software and applications – a laptop computer is the machine for you. Now you just need to choose which one will suit you most.

Of course there is a huge choice of machines to choose from. Picking one isn’t easy but we can help by narrowing down the options for you. First of all let’s look at the different kinds of laptop computer.

Types of laptop computer

Rather confusingly a laptop can also be referred to as a notebook but shouldn’t be confused with netbooks. Netbooks are smaller, lighter machines typically with a ten inch screen and are not classed as laptops. However, even more confusingly, there are also convertible and 2 in 1 laptops.

A convertible is a full specification laptop that has a screen which can be rotated and manoeuvred to act as a tablet.
You will also find 2 in 1 machines. These have a detachable keyboard to convert the laptop into a tablet. These machines have become popular since the release of Windows 8.1 and all utilise touchscreen technology.

What kind of laptop are you looking for?

We won’t all need the same machine and there are probably four ‘groups’ of laptop that you will consider:

Cheap Laptops

If you are price conscious or just want a basic machine there are some excellent low cost laptops to choose from. You should consider one of the lower specification Acer or Asus models or look at a Chromebook or Ubuntu powered machine. Students too will find plenty of laptops ideally suited for carrying out coursework that won’t break the bank.

Family Laptop

Many families have a laptop that everyone uses. This is a great idea but of course the machine needs to be able to meet the demands of everyone who uses it. Look for a light model that can be easily carried around the house.

You will need a choice of connectivity on the machine so that smartphones, printers and cameras can be easily attached. Also consider a fourth generation Intel processer to allow multitasking and streaming of video. And a 13” screen would be ideal.

Business or Desktop replacement

Higher grade laptops can easily become a replacement for a desktop machine. And whether you need the machine for work or study a high specification laptop will allow you to write and edit text, create presentations and run intensive applications. Busy executives, creative professionals and designers will need a machine with the fastest processors, graphics cards and plenty of storage.

Gaming laptops

If you want to play the latest games on our laptop you will be wise to consider a specialist gaming machine. Gaming laptops are equipped with top of the line processors, ultra-fast graphics and HD displays. Unsurprisingly they are more expensive than other laptops but to handle high-end 3D games you will need a powerful machine.

Which Operating System should you choose?

You do have a few options here. The main choice is between Windows and OS X (Apple). But you could also choose either Chrome or Ubuntu. Let’s examine the options a little more closely.

Windows

The most popular option by far. As you would expect the majority of laptops are powered by Windows. This allows cross-platform use and makes the laptop easy to use as most of us are very familiar with how Windows works. Laptops will come with different versions of Windows pre-installed and some will offer free upgrades.

OS X

The Apple operating system is only found on MacBook’s. Creative professionals tend to favour Apple laptops though plenty of other users enjoy using the OS X operating system.

Chrome

Google’s operating system can be found on Chromebooks that are produced by manufacturers such as HP, Acer and Samsung. For surfing the internet these low cost machines are ideal but even medium users will probably find Chrome too restrictive.

Ubuntu

This open source Linux based system is popular with experienced users who wish to break away from Windows. A very different experience from Windows, Ubuntu is in many respects an ideal operating system for a novice and is ideal for use on low cost laptops. You can read more about Ubuntu by clicking here.

Features

Even having chosen the type of laptop you want and the operating system you will use there is still a bewildering array of machines to choose from. But you can easily narrow down your choices by looking at the features on each machine. And don’t worry if you aren’t fully up to date with techie speak – we’ll explain everything here or take a look at our jargon buster for more information.

Screen Size

Size is probably the first thing we look at when considering a new laptop. And, generally speaking, the smaller the screen the more portable the machine.

Laptops usually come with the following screen sizes:

11 – 12 inches. The smallest machines have these screens and are very easy to carry around. These ultra-portable laptops are not really suitable for using over extended periods and this size of screen may simply be too small for many users.

13 inches. A very popular size and the smallest screen that can be comfortably viewed and worked on all day long. Easily portable these machines can be taken with you wherever you go.

14 – 16 inches. The middle ground including the traditional and still very popular 15” screen. Not that easy to carry around every day but perfect if you want a larger screen.

17 – 18 inches. The largest laptops and of course the heaviest. Because of their size much more power can be packed into the machine. And laptops of this size tend to be used as desktop replacements, saving space whilst remaining in the same position.

Display

No matter the size of the screen you still need the picture or display to be as sharp as possible. The sharpness, or resolution, of the display is determined by the number of pixels – the more the better.

1366 x 768 is a resolution often found in laptops but if a machine with a higher resolution is within your budget you will certainly notice the difference when watching movies or playing games. A full HD display (1920 x 1080) is now available on many machines.

CPU

The Central Processing Unit (CPU) is the power that drives the laptop. The CPU reads and processes data and the faster it can do that the faster the machine and the software will run. In a laptop you will find either an Intel or AMD processor.

Intel

You have no doubt seen their TV adverts and Intel processors can be found in many laptops. Look out for the latest and fastest CPU’s which are known as 4th generation or Haswell processors. You will be able to verify it is a 4th generation CPU as the model number will begin with a 4 – eg Intel Core i5-4300M 2.6GHz.

The processor determines how efficient the computer is and the more you want the computer to achieve the faster the processor it will need. So, for entry level machines at i3 processor will be sufficient. More complex tasks require more power so look for an i5 model. Gaming laptops and machines used for intensive applications such as video editing will require an i7 processor.

You may also see an Atom processor in some smaller laptops and tablet PCs. You may wish to avoid laptops that have the older Pentium or Celeron processors though they are fine for very basic tasks

AMD

Some laptops will have an AMD processor. Like Intel AMD have released a new version of their CPU known as the A Series. Look out for A4, A6, A8 and A10 processors with A10 being the fastest.

Memory / RAM

You don’t have to worry too much about RAM. Most laptops will have 4GB of RAM which is usually more than enough though high-end users may want to look for 8GB.

Hard Drive / SSD

A hard drive stores all the data used by the computer. In a laptop you either find a traditional Hard Disk Drive (HDD) or a newer and lighter Solid-State Drive (SSD).

An SSD is much faster than a HDD but tends to have a lower storage capacity and is also more expensive. If speed is important to you than an SSD would be the wise choice but, if you intend to store large numbers of videos or other media files, a large capacity HDD would be the better choice.

Design

Although the basic design of all laptops is pretty much the same – they have a lid and fixed keyboard – they do differ significantly from model to model. You will find different colours, some will have a much slimmer profile and others, usually gaming laptops, may have backlit keyboards.

You may also see different materials being used for the case and the layout of the keyboard and touchpad can vary from machine to machine.

When it comes to design you pay your money and you take your choice. And it is worthwhile making sure you like the look and feel of your new laptop as you will be spending plenty of time in its company.

Keyboard & Touchpad

Although most laptops use a standard QWERTY keyboard the size, style and number of keys will vary from machine to machine. Many machines will have a full sized keyboard but the more compact laptops will have smaller keys and will omit some function keys.

All laptops have a touchpad (a finger controlled device that acts as a mouse) but some will have bigger and more responsive pads. Lenovo laptops also have a pointing stick that is set into the middle of the keyboard.

Portability

The portability of a laptop depends on its weight. Obviously the lighter the machine the easier it is to carry around all day. Generally speaking the larger the screen the heavier the computer and a laptop with a screen over 16” is usually intended to stay in the same place rather than be carried around.

That said however, there are now some incredibly lightweight machines and companies like Apple and Dell have led the way in creating ultra-portable computers. Check the specifications of each laptop for its weight but a rough guide is below (don’t forget you will also have to take into account the added weight of the laptop bag and charging unit):

1.8kg or less = ultra-light

1.9 - 2.26kg = light and easy to carry

2.7 – 3.00kg = portable

3.01 – 4.00kg = uncomfortable to carry for extended periods

4.01kg and above = desktop replacement rather than a machine to carry around

Touchscreen

Many laptop computers now have touchscreen technology. We are familiar with using touch on our smartphones and tablet PCs but, with the introduction of Windows 8.1, more and more laptops are now being produced with this technology.

And, although Windows 8.1 can be used with any machine, it really comes alive when used on a touchscreen laptop. And, of course, you can use touch with all your favourite apps.

At Ebuyer.com we stock a large selection of cheap laptops from all the leading brands including:

Acer

A familiar name to many of us Acer produce a whole range of laptops ranging from entry level machines to high specification Ultrabooks. From the cash conscious student to the busy executive everyone will find an Acer laptop that is ideally suited to them. Click here for more information.

Asus

Employing the latest touchscreen technology Asus deliver amazing laptops and incredible value for money. Whether you are looking for a machine for everyday computing or an enterprise level business machine you will find what you need from Asus. To read more about Asus click here.

Dell

One of the leading names in technology Dell produce laptops that are tailor-made for executives and people on the move. Dell’s high performance machines are equipped with the latest Intel processors and have robust security features designed to ensure the safety of sensitive data. Click here to see more information on Dell laptops.

Fujitsu

Perhaps not as familiar a name as some other manufacturers Fujitsu nevertheless produce high end laptops, convertibles and ultrabooks. These top of the range machines are ideally suited to business people and those who enjoy streaming media. Check out the full Ebuyer range of Fujitsu laptops.

HP

From great value-for-money machines to enterprise class ultrabooks, HP produce a full range of high quality laptop computers. Characterised by stylish design and never fail reliability HP laptops can be found in homes and offices up and down the country. Click the link to find out more about HP laptops.

Lenovo

Often leading the way with their innovative products Lenovo have delivered an amazing range of laptops. Balancing performance with design and cutting edge technology Lenovo machines deliver a great computing experience. And you can find out more about Lenovo laptops here.

Toshiba

Famed for their reliability and efficiency Toshiba produce great value and robust machines that are ideal for the home and college user. But Toshiba also manufacture high end machines for business users. You can read more about Toshiba laptops here.

Zoostorm

This UK company are turning out some fantastic machines including two in one laptops and touchscreen models. Representing great value for money Zoostorm laptops are ideal family machines or for students looking for a low cost model as a study aid. Click here for more information.

Don’t worry if you’re not familiar with all the technical speak used in laptop product descriptions. We have explained the most common acronyms and names below. And we have also included answers to many of the common questions we receive about the laptops we sell.

What is a laptop?

A laptop is a portable computer with a fixed screen and keyboard.

What is a notebook computer?

Notebook is simply another name for laptop and can be used interchangeably.

What is a 2 in 1 laptop?

A 2 in 1 laptop has a detachable keyboard. The display can then be used as a standalone touchscreen tablet PC.

What is a convertible laptop?

Unlike a 2 in 1 laptop a convertible machine has a screen that is rotated (but not detached) to become a tablet PC.

What is a netbook?

Not classed as a laptop a netbook is a smaller lightweight device usually with a screen size of 10 inches.

What is an operating system?

This is the software that manages the computer. Most laptops run Windows but Apple machines use OS X.

What is a Chromebook?

A Chromebook is a laptop that runs on the Google Chrome operating system.

What is a desktop replacement?

A high-specification laptop that eliminates the need for a separate desktop PC. Desktop replacement laptops usually have a large 18” screen.

What is screen resolution?

Screen resolution is displayed as pixels, for example 1366 x 768. The basic rule here is that the more pixels there are the sharper the image will be. In practice most non-HD laptops have a screen resolution of 1366 x 768.

What is a HD screen?

A laptop with a full HD screen display will have a resolution of 1920 x 1080 and will be able to display HD movies and games.

How is screen size measured?

A laptop screen is measured diagonally from the bottom left corner to the top right corner and not horizontally left to right.

How heavy is a laptop?

This of course varies between models. But laptops are becoming lighter every year as technology improves. Note that some machines will omit an optical drive to help reduce weight.

What is a hard drive?

This is where all data is stored. The bigger the drive the more data it can store. Look for at least a 500gb capacity.

What is a SATA drive?

You may see SATA before the hard drive and optical drive in a laptop’s list of specifications. SATA is simply the interface used to connect the drive to the computer.

What is RAM memory?

RAM stands for Random Accessed Memory and is simply where the data used by programmes is stored. A machine with insufficient memory will not be able to cope with complex tasks such as media streaming. Most laptops will have 4gb of RAM as standard.

What is an optical drive?

This is the extra drive used for reading and recording most commonly a DVD drive. Be aware that not all laptops will have an optical drive.

What is a computer processor?

The processor is the brains of the computer. Most processors will be dual-core meaning they can process multiple tasks. The fasted processors will be quad-core.

What is a touchpad?

The touchpad is basically a built-in mouse and performs the same functions.

What are computer interfaces?

Interfaces are the connections / ports available on the laptop for connecting external devices. The common ones you will see are:

USB – the majority of devices you use such as printers, cameras and external hard drives will connect via USB.

HDMI – An extremely useful port. It can transfer uncompressed audio and video which means you can use it to connect your laptop to your TV and watch online content on your big screen television.

VGA – The Video Graphics Array port can be used to connect your laptop to a monitor.

RJ45 – The port for the Ethernet cable. RJ45 refers to the connector on each end of the cable.

DisplayPort – Similar to HDMI but the DisplayPort can be used on more than one device. For example you can connect two monitors simultaneously to your laptop.

Microphone in – as you would expect this is the port into which you plug a microphone if needed.

Headphones out – again this pretty self-explanatory. If you wish to use headphones you plug the jack into this port.

What is an Ethernet port?

If you want to connect your laptop to the internet you can choose to plug a cable from your router into the Ethernet port (sometimes referred to as RJ45).

How long does a laptop battery last?

This very much depends on the model and can vary from a few hours to fourteen or more for top-of-the-range machines.

What does WLAN mean?

WLAN stands for Wireless Local Access Network and means your laptop can connect wirelessly to a router. You may see WLAN: 802.11a/b/g/n in the product description. Don’t worry about this as 802 is simply the networking standard.

What is a webcam?

Many laptops will have a webcam. This is a camera built into the computer that enables the user to chat online.

How do I connect my laptop to the internet?

You have two options here. Most will connect wirelessly or you can get online via an Ethernet cable that connects your laptop and router.

Does a laptop have speakers?

Your laptop will have a sound card and built-in speakers. However, for listening to music or movies you should connect some external speakers. This is easily done by plugging the speakers into the headphones out plug or many speakers now connect via USB.

What is the difference between USB 2.0 and USB 3.0?

Many laptops will now have a mix of USB 2.0 and 3.0 ports. 3.0 is the latest version of USB and is much faster than 2.0. Both versions are compatible so a USB 3.0 device can be connected to a USB 2.0 device and vice-versa.

Can I use an SD card with my laptop?

If you have a digital camera or other portable device it is possible to use your SD card with your laptop. Some machines will have a micro SD slot but, for those that don’t, you can use a SD card adapter that connects via USB. This adapter will have to be purchased separately.

Do laptops have Bluetooth?

Many new models will have Bluetooth connectivity and will be able to connect to similar devices. Check the laptops spec for confirmation of this.